1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to decoys and more particularly to a waterfowl decoy apparatus and method of making.
2. Background of the Invention
At least a thousand years before Europeans arrived in North America, the indigenous Indians had discovered the use of decoys to lure birds and animals closer too the hunter. Early decoys comprised bird skins on floats or sticks. Decoys have been an essential part of the bird hunters equipment since that time. More durable decoys were desired and many variations including carved decoys emerged as is well known to those skilled in the art. The sophistication of some decoys has emerged to the point that they are almost indistinguishable from their live counterparts. Theses types of decoys are rather costly, and a less expensive bird attractant was desired. The development of a low cost yet effective bird decoy has remained a challenge to those skilled in the art.
A variety of decoy devices has emerged which attempt to attract birds by mimicking their flight motions. Some of these devices required mechanical means of motion, while others were driven by wind currents. There have been many in the prior art who have attempted to solve these problems with varying degrees of success. None, however completely satisfies the requirements for a complete solution to the aforestated problem. The following U.S. Patents and Patent Applications are attempts of the prior art to solve this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 942,103 to Rigney discloses novel apparatus by means of which pieces of card board or other suitable material, cut or formed to represent different birds, are caught and removed by the players from a platform provided with slots, in which the birds are supported. The removal of the birds is accomplished by the use of a pair of angle pieces, made to represent wings, which are adapted to slip over the backs of the birds.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,195 to Rockafeller discloses a device designed for frightening away birds and animals from locations where such birds and animals frequently destroy property. An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is especially designed for positioning on power or telephone poles for frightening birds.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,545 to Ore discloses guarding and fright producing devices and equipment and particularly to a special scarecrow. The main object of my invention is to produce a scarecrow of especially effective character which serves to scare off birds and smaller animals where used in orchards and fields of growing greens. An ancillary object of my invention is to provide a scarecrow which utilizes several features simultaneously in order to obtain a cumulative effective in scaring off undesirable animals from all gardens and orchards equipped with such scarecrows.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,357 to LeMessurier discloses a Bird Scare comprised of a sheet of aluminium supported by a swivel and having both a twist and turned edges to enable sensitive response to effect rotation in very light rising air as well as rotation on gentle conventional wind and high wind conditions. The sheet material includes domes impressed throughout the material to increase reflective dissipation effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,764 to Peterson discloses a decoy with a pair of flexible wings and a body which includes means for orienting the decoy into the wind. The wings are flexibly mounted to the body and fluctuate in response to air flow over the wing between a lower position wherein the wings define airfoils which generate lift and an upper position wherein the wings are oriented in a stall configuration causing the wings to fall.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,649 to Kilgore discloses a decoy mobile having a mobile spreader suspended a predetermined distance from the ground by attachment to a fixed object. The decoy mobile further has at least one mobile lower line attached at an upper end to the mobile spreader. The at least one mobile lower line is further securely attached to a mobile anchor line which is securely attached to a mobile anchor line fastener. The decoy mobile further has at least one decoy securely attached to the at least one mobile lower line. The at least one decoy rotates when contacted by wind simulating a real animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,619 to Stancil discloses the appearance of symmetrical lateral movement such as the flapping of a bird's wings by a rotating vane which has a light side and a dark side. The vane is generally elliptical in shape and is divided into two blades. Each of the blades is curled about an axis which is generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the vane. Accordingly, rotation of the vane alternately shows the light and dark sides of the vane such that the light side of the vane appears from a distance to be moving along the axis of rotation about the center of the axis of rotation. The vane is rotatably attached to an animal decoy, such as a duck decoy, by a support. The curvature of the vane causes the vane to rotate in response to a wind force. During rotation, the top of the vane moves away from the head of the decoy and the bottom of the vane moves toward the head such that any lift generated by rotation of the vane is directed upwards to lift the decoy slightly out of the water rather than drive the decoy into the water. A motor can supply rotational force to the vane in the absence of wind force.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,896 to Coker discloses a waterfowl decoy that can be assembled from a flat, planar sheet to a 3-dimensional decoy that is capable of stacking while assembled. Decoy comprises a sheet and an anchor. The sheet has an outer periphery shaped to resemble a waterfowl when the sheet is assembled in a 3-dimensional state, with a head, body and shoulder. The sheet substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, except for a bifurcated head. The head has a pair of members that are specifically asymmetrical to appear more realistic. The sheet also has a pair of shoulder segments that are aligned by flexing the sheet along the longitudinal axis and securing using an anchor. A plurality of decoys may be stacked, while in a fully assembled state and with anchors intact. While stacked, the anchors may be moved to a position that locks the stack so that individual decoys cannot be removed until the anchors are moved to a position that releases the stack.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,894 to Price, Sr, et al. discloses a decoy apparatus with wind-driven rotatable wings. The rotatable wings are mounted on a shaft member, which extends transversely through a bird-like body portion. Adjustable-pitch rotor blades are integrally mounted on the rotatable wings for collecting and converting kinetic wind energy to rotational power in the shaft member. When collected and converted to rotational power, wind energy causes the wings, the shaft member and the rotor blades to rotate in unison through 360 degrees about a horizontal axis of rotation extending through the shaft member. The wings and integrally mounted rotor blades co-rotate in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction depending on the wind energy being directed against the rotor blade members. The adjustable pitch rotor blade members thus create wing movement in the wings and in the rotor blades for alluring game located vertically, laterally and longitudinally relative to the decoy apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,431 to Price, Sr. et al. discloses a decoy apparatus with wind-driven rotatable wings. The rotatable wings are mounted on a shaft member, which extends transversely through a bird-like body portion. Head-on horizontal-axis rotor blades are integrally mounted on the rotatable wings for collecting and converting kinetic wind energy to rotational power in the shaft member. When collected and converted to rotational power, wind energy causes the wings, the shaft member and the rotor blades to rotate in unison through 360 degrees about a horizontal-axis of rotation extending through the shaft member. The wings and integrally-mounted rotor blades co-rotate in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction depending on the wind energy being directed against the rotor blade members. The rotor blade members thus create wing movement in the wings and in the rotor blades for alluring game located vertically, laterally and longitudinally relative to the decoy apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,644 to Gollnik discloses a deer tail decoy which simulates the communicating and motion characteristics of a deer's tail. The decoy includes flexible and paired front and rear tail-shaped light colored background and dark inlaid materials, each of which is frayed or slit about their peripheral margins to provide contrasting inner and outer flaps which flutter in the wind. The top section of the decoy includes a rigid support such as a wire so as to permit the decoy to flag in the wind. When secured to a mounting site with a cord or wire, the wind blown deer tail decoy partially rotates about the wire, swings as a pendulum, ripples through its entire fabric structure and creates contrasting fluttering and flapping in the wind so as to emulate a deer's tail in motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,904 to Fencel et al. discloses a wind activated decoy having a silhouette body with a wing support therethrough. Opposite first and second wings are secured to respective wing spars, with one spar being removably installable through the support. The second wing attaches removably to the first spar after installation through the support. Each wing comprises a thin, rigid sheet with a sinusoidal cross section to catch the wind and cause the panels to rotate. The chords of the two panels have an angular displacement of forty five degrees, to avoid any singularity and provide continuously unequal aerodynamic forces upon the panels to produce continuous rotation in a breeze. The panels are marked differently on opposite surfaces and when rotated, simulate the flashing of a bird's wings when the bird is alighting. A support column extends from the body and is removably installable in a tubular support, allowing the decoy to pivot freely into the wind.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,413 to Martin, et al. discloses an improved hunting decoy made by securing an outer skin around a buoyant core. A buoyant core body is formed from buoyant core material into a shape approximating that of a desired animal. The core body may include a head or be headless. After the buoyant core body has been formed in the desired shape, a rigid outer skin is secured about the buoyant core body. Securing the outer skin is accomplished by vacuum-forming a sheet of deformable material about the buoyant core body.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,483 to Nelson discloses a bird decoy apparatus that includes a plurality of flat decoy panels, each panel being shaped to simulate an appearance of a bird. Each of the plurality of decoy panels are attached to a suspension line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,653 to Thomas discloses a waterfowl decoy system used by one or more hunters for simulating large numbers of geese and ducks in a field or on a water surface. The system includes a plurality of decoy pennants attached to a decoy line. A plurality of decoy lines joined in series form a decoy line train. Opposite ends of each decoy line include a snap swivel for preventing the pennants and decoy line from becoming tangled. A portion of the decoy line is attached to a top of a line pole for suspending the decoy pennants above a ground surface or a water surface. Also, a portion of the decoy line can be connected to a decoy line animator for moving the decoy line and pennants from one position to another. The decoy system also includes a backpack or dolly with a vertical hand operated vertical spool for holding the pennants and decoy lines thereon and transporting the decoy system to and from the hunting area.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,765 to Watermann discloses a device for scaring birds comprising a silhouette of a bird of prey having at least one hole there through; a first line having one end rotatably attached to said hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,688 to Brint discloses bird decoys for attracting predators, one of which decoys may be rotatably deployed on a rod with one wing folded, the other wing extended and both moving to simulate a wounded bird. Other embodiments include a mechanical flying bird supported on a rotating arm in a single bird flying configuration, a pair of mechanical flying birds deployed in tandem on a common rotating arm and a stacked flying bird configuration of four birds. A method for attracting predators using bird decoys which simulate dove, quail, crow, hawk, duck, geese or the like, and includes the steps of rotatably deploying a bird decoy with a folded wing on a rod or stake and causing the extended wing to flap and the folded wing to vibrate, thus simulating a wounded bird. The method also includes mounting one or more mechanical flying birds on a rotating arm or arms attached to an upright support for simulating circling of the various decoy birds in selected locations to attract predators.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,137,221 to Highby, et al. discloses a spinning decoy device for use by hunters to attract birds, such as ducks and geese. The device has at least one decoy deployed in an elevated position, and a motorized system for spinning the decoy(s) so as to attract the birds. The motorized system, in a preferred embodiment, spins the decoy(s) in a circular motion. To further add realism to the device, the wings of each decoy are rotatable.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,458,181 to Butz discloses a waterfowl decoy kite designed in a manner that allows for its deployment over a body of water or other potential waterfowl landing area to facilitate the attracting of specific species to the hunter. The kite is made from a an oval wing and circular stabilizer. The wing and stabilizer may have a variety of notches so as to impart bird like characteristics to the kites flight pattern and visual appeal. The kite may also be painted so as to exhibit a bird like appearance during flight.
United States Patent Application 2002/0069572 to Price, Sr., et al. discloses a decoy apparatus with wind-driven rotatable wings. The rotatable wings are mounted on a shaft member, which extends transversely through a bird-like body portion. Adjustable-pitch rotor blades are integrally mounted on the rotatable wings for collecting and converting kinetic wind energy to rotational power in the shaft member. When collected and converted to rotational power, wind energy causes the wings, the shaft member and the rotor blades to rotate in unison through 360 degrees about a horizontal axis of rotation extending through the shaft member. The wings and integrally mounted rotor blades co-rotate in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction depending on the wind energy being directed against the rotor blade members. The adjustable pitch rotor blade members thus create wing movement in the wings and in the rotor blades for alluring game located vertically, laterally and longitudinally relative to the decoy apparatus.
United States Patent Application 2002/0095847 to Nelson discloses a bird decoy apparatus that includes a plurality of flat decoy panels, each panel being shaped to simulate an appearance of a bird. Each of the plurality of decoy panels are attached to a suspension line.
United States Patent Application 2003/0041500 to Thomas discloses a waterfowl decoy system used by one or more hunters for simulating large numbers of geese and ducks in a field or on a water surface. The system includes a plurality of decoy pennants attached to a decoy line. The pennants and decoy line form a decoy line train. Opposite ends of the decoy line train include a swivel and a line connector for attaching to another decoy line train. A portion of the decoy line train is attached to a top of each line pole for suspending the decoy pennants above a ground surface or a water surface. One or more of the line poles can be mounted on top of a spring mounted line pole coupling. The line pole coupling is attached to a ground stake. The decoy system also includes a backpack or dolly with a vertical hand operated vertical spool for holding the pennants and decoy line trains thereon and transporting the decoy system to and from the hunting area.
United States Patent Application 2003/0101635 to Fencel discloses a wind activated decoy having a silhouette body with a wing support therethrough. Opposite first and second wings are secured to respective wing spars, with one spar being removably installable through the support. The second wing attaches removably to the first spar after installation through the support. Each wing comprises a thin, rigid sheet with a sinusoidal cross section to catch the wind and cause the panels to rotate. The chords of the two panels have an angular displacement of forty five degrees, to avoid any singularity and provide continuously unequal aerodynamic forces upon the panels to produce continuous rotation in a breeze. The panels are marked differently on opposite surfaces and when rotated, simulate the flashing of a bird's wings when the bird is alighting. A support column extends from the body and is removably installable in a tubular support, allowing the decoy to pivot freely into the wind.
United States Patent Application 2003/0121198 to Watermann discloses a device for scaring birds comprising a silhouette of a bird of prey having at least one hole there through; a first line having one end rotatably attached to said hole.
United States Patent Application 2003/0208944 to Olson, et al. discloses a dynamic, wind powered decoy having a body member (with a longitudinal axis), rod means connected to the body member and extending longitudinally away from the body member, and a wing assembly rotatably mounted on the rod means. The decoy has pivot means in the body member defining a pivot axis at a selected angle from the longitudinal axis. When the decoy is pivotally supported, the wing assembly rotates about the longitudinal axis and the decoy rotates about the pivot axis to a heading whereat the body member is headed into the wind.
United States Patent Application 2004/0237373 to Coleman discloses a bird decoy representing a bird in flight and a support pole for such decoys. The decoy is a top view of a bird flying with outstretched wings, a head, neck, and body made from a single piece of relatively flat material. The decoy has a suspension rod which is attached on one end to the decoy. The free end of the suspension rod is inserted into a hole on a support pole. The support pole has numerous holes along its length for attaching several decoys. Several decoys are attached to the support pole and the pole is positioned vertically from ground level.
United States Patent Application 2005/0150149 to Highby, et al. discloses a spinning decoy device for use by hunters to attract birds, such as ducks and geese. The device has at least one decoy deployed in an elevated position, and a motorized system for spinning the decoy(s) so as to attract the birds. The motorized system, in a preferred embodiment, spins the decoy(s) in a circular motion. To further add realism to the device, the wings of each decoy are rotatable.
United States Patent Application 2007/0137092 to Butz discloses a waterfowl decoy kite designed in a manner that allows for its deployment over a body of water or other potential waterfowl landing area to facilitate the attracting of specific species to the hunter. The kite is made from an oval wing and circular stabilizer. The wing and stabilizer may have a variety of notches so as to impart bird like characteristics to the kites flight pattern and visual appeal. The kite may also be painted so as to exhibit a bird like appearance during flight.
United States Patent Application 2008/0184610 to Pfeifle discloses a method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of aerial decoys. The decoys extend away from the ground at different elevations including launching a kite to a position downwind of the desired observation or hunting zone and attaching aerodynamic bird decoys at a plurality of spaced-apart locations along the ascending kite string to simulate a number of birds approaching the landing zone. The decoys are preferably attached to the kite string through a swivel device and the tethered end of the kite string can be supported above a mast or stake that is securely positioned in the ground or bottom of the body of water on to which the birds are to be attracted. The entire assembly is conveniently provided in kit form that is both manually transportable and can be put into use by one individual.
United States Patent Application 2008/0216382 to Rohrke discloses methods and apparatus for attracting animals. In one aspect, there is provided a wind driven device, such as a decoy for animals, such as waterfowl, birds, humans, and the like. The device may include a support pole; a hanging rod coupled to the support pole; and a blade coupled to a swivel mechanism. The swivel mechanism is further coupled to the hanging rod. The blade is attached to the swivel mechanism and shaped to move to attract one or more animals when the blade moves in response to wind. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
Although the aforementioned prior art have contributed to the development of the art of bird decoys, none of these prior art patents have solved the needs of this art.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for attracting birds.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for attracting birds that is simple for the operator to use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for attracting birds that is easy to cost effectively produce.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.